Do conversations stop when you enter a room? Do other people get up from the sofa when you sit down? Do front porch lights go off when you pull into a driveway? Do nightclubs have cover charges just for you?
Do you ever get the impression that you aren't welcome somewhere, that your presence is not appreciated? If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you probably should, because someone's trying to tell you something.
If your key doesn't fit the door to your office one morning or you go home one night and find your belongings in the street, it's probably safe to conclude that somebody doesn't want you around any longer.
It may take a while to sink in, depending on how smart you are, but you'll eventually get the message.
Insurance companies in Texas are starting to get the message, too – that they're not welcome here.
They provide a useful service, but the number of Texans who appreciate it seems to be dwindling and the number of Texans seeking to abuse it seems to be growing.
Sure, the companies expect a certain amount of attempted fraud and recognize the need to take steps to thwart it, but when windstorm wizards like attorneys Steve Mostyn and Bill Voss are trying to bled them on a grand scale and our courts seem to be acting as accessories, you can't fault them for wondering if their presence is really desired here.
“I certainly hope that the reputable trial lawyer organizations and the State Bar of Texas are paying attention to what is going on in these matters,”says Dallas commercial insurance attorney Steven Badger.
“If the legislature doesn’t step in and fix it,” he warns, “then the insurance industry will, by limiting hail damage coverage. The industry has no choice. And as a result, the honest homeowner who just wants his roof damage fixed will suffer.”
We need the best coverage these companies can offer without limitations caused by lawsuits that benefit a few and harm many.